A traveler's long-shot effort to smuggle $179,000 worth of a chemical used to treat erectile dysfunction quickly went limp, thanks to federal authorities at Los Angeles International Airport, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said today.

A 40-year-old Korean national was pulled aside for a secondary baggage screening shortly after arriving aboard a Korean Airlines flight from Seoul to LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal last month, said Anne Maricich, assistant director of the CBP's field office in Los Angeles.

While examining the man's two carry-on bags, CBP agents found a pair of socks, some underwear and several sealed pouches containing more than 63 pounds of a white, powdery substance.

"It's clear that the sole purpose of his trip was to smuggle this into the U.S. for further distribution after it was encapsulated or pressed into pill form," Maricich said. "There are possible health and safety risks for using this type of drug when it isn't used in a legitimate, sterile environment."

The traveler said that the powder was an unspecified Chinese herb. The man, whose name was not released, was allowed to leave after immediate testing at the airport revealed that the substance was not an illicit drug.

Subsequent testing by the CBP finally revealed last week that the powder was tadalafil, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor used to treat impotence in men, the CBP said. The powder is now set for destruction.

The man could face a stiff fine and possible imprisonment for illegally carrying such a hefty amount of pharmaceuticals, said CBP spokesman Jaime Ruiz.

"There's a black market for illegal pharmaceuticals, but they can really be a risk to your health, unlike wearing a fake Rolex," Ruiz said. "People believe they're getting a good deal, but it could actually do more harm than good."